Issue #214 Vol. XIX, No. 9 February 1995 Publisher TSR, Inc. SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS Associate Publisher Brian Thomsen The Complete Half-Elf Greg Jensen Editor-in-Chief 10 Give your half-elf PCs these kits designed specifically Kim Mohan for them. Associate editor Dale A. Donovan Bazaar of the Bizarre Christopher Kutarna 18 Add these elven artifacts to your campaign. Fiction editor Barbara G. Young Dragons Bestiary Norman Abrahamsen 24 Meet the smallest (and furriest) elf-friends of all. Editorial assistant Wolfgang H. Baur Art director FICTION Larry W. Smith Hunter Under the Sun Brent J. Giles Production 94 The pursuit of justice is as relentless as the suns glare. Renee Ciske Tracey Isler Subscriptions REVIEWS Janet L. Winters Role-playing Reviews Rick Swan U.S. advertising 34 Try these alternative fantasy RPGs. Cindy Rick Eye of the Monitor Lester Smith U.K. correspondent 63 Review Les rebuttal to an earlier computer-game review. and U.K. advertising Carolyn Wildman From the Forge Ken Carpenter 112 Join Ken as he explores miniature terrain. DRAGON® Magazine (ISSN 0279-6848) is published Magazine Marketing, Tavistock Road, West Drayton, monthly by TSR, inc., 201 Sheridan Springs Road, Middlesex UB7 7QE, United Kingdom; telephone: Lake Geneva WI 53147, United States of America. The 0895-444055. postal address for all materials from the United States Subscriptions: Subscription rates via second-class of America and Canada except subscription orders is: mail are as follows: $30 in U.S. funds for 12 issues DRAGON® Magazine, 201 Sheridan Springs Road, sent to an address in the U.S.; $36 in U.S. funds for 12 Lake Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A.; telephone (414) 248- issues sent to an address in Canada; £21 for 12 issues 3625; fax (414) 248-0389. 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Box 5695, Boston MA 02206, U.S.A. In book trade in the United States is by Random House, the United Kingdom, methods of payment include Inc., and in Canada by Random House of Canada, Ltd. cheques or money orders made payable to TSR Ltd., Distribution to the book trade in the United Kingdom is or charges to a valid ACCESS or VISA credit card; by TSR Ltd. Send orders to: Random House, Inc., send subscription orders with payments to TSR Ltd., Order Entry Department, Westminster MD 21157, as per that address above. Prices are subject to U.S.A.; telephone: (800) 733-3000. Newsstand distribu- change without prior notice. The issue of expiration of Printed in the U.S.A. tion throughout the United Kingdom is by Comag each subscription is printed on the mailing label of 2 FEBRUARY 1995 FEATURES First Quest Harold Johnson 8 Harold wears a lot of hatsno, really, a lot of hats. For Truth and Justice Chris Avellone 30 Create better superheroic exploits with this adventure checklist. Rumblings The staff 43 Read the latest about TSRon TV and movie screens. Ecology of the Neogi Jon Winters 52 This is but the first of two (count em) Ecologies in this issue. Game Wizards Bruce Nesmith 66 Check out these solitaire rules for the SPELLFIRETM game. Lost Empires David Howery 72 Discover a lost land such as Atlantis for your game world. Sage Advice Skip Williams COVER 78 Skip again runs his fine-tooth comb through the AD&D® Alan Pollack's dramatic cover and SPELLFIRE game rules. painting for this issue suggests the valuable spelunker's axiom, "don't go Nasty Tricks Bruce Nesmith exploring caves alone." This is especially true when those caves may be occupied 82 Try these stratagems on your next SPELLFIRE game by the dark elves known as the drow. opponent. Ecology of the Owlbear Johnathan M. Richards 86 Yes! This long-promised article finally makes it into print. DEPARTMENTS 4 Letters 103 Libram X 6 Editorial 106 Dragonmirth 47 Convention Calendar 108 Gamers Guide 68 Forum 120 TSR Previews each subscriber’s copy of the magazine. Changes of Guidelines, c/o DRAGON Magazine, as per the above rights to the contents of this publication are reserved, address for the delivery of subscription copies must be address; include sufficient American postage or and nothing may be reproduced from it in whole or in received at least six weeks prior to the effective date of International Reply Coupons with the return envelope. part without first obtaining permission in writing from the change in order to assure uninterrupted delivery. In Europe, write to: Writers’ Guidelines, c/o DRAGON the publisher. 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In the United States and Canada, write to: Letters, DRAGON® Magazine, 201 Sheridan Springs Rd., Lake Dear Dragon, Dear Dragon, Geneva WI 53147, U.S.A. In Europe, write to: Due to recent changes in my life, I will be I’ve been searching desperately for two books Letters, DRAGON Magazine, TSR Ltd., 120 unable to continue my function as a clearing that I have discovered are out of print, or at Church End, Cherry Hinton, Cambridge CB1 house for gamers interested in playing by mail. least so I’m told. First is the Outer Planes Appen- 3LB, United Kingdom. If you wish your letter to Therefore, I am requesting that one of your dix of the MONSTROUS COMPENDIUM® acces- be published, you must sign it. We will not most stalwart readers volunteer to take my sory, and the second is from the TOP publish anonymous letters. We will withhold place. To the first person who responds to this SECRETS/S.I.™ game and I believe is called G4, your name if you request it. letter by writing to DRAGON Magazine (please The Guide to Guns, Gadgets, and Getaway Gear: don’t write to me personally), I will send all I’m hoping maybe you have some suggestions player material I have received and compiled so for where to look.